Inserter and retainer for suppositories



United Mates Patent Inventor Melvin G. Gordon 1072 NE 179 Terrace, North Miami Beach, Florida 33162 Appl. No. 714,223

Filed March 19, 1968 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 INSERTER AND RETAINER FOR SUPPOSITORTES 12 Claims, 22 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 128/261,

128/271; 206/632 Int. Cl ..A6lm 35/00 Field olSearch .1 128/261,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,334 lO/1935 Ackerman. v 128/272 2,049,270 7/1936 Munro 128/271 2,974,666 3/1961 Coumbls et al.. 128/271 3.335.725 8/1967 Gordon 128/261 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager AttorneyJohn Cyril Mulloy ABSTRACT: An inserter and retainer for meltable rectal suppositories comprised of a base member to which a suppository is attached. The base member and suppository are inserted into the anal canal as a unit, holding the meltable suppository in the anal canal during its melting or dissolving, and preventing the expulsion or propulsion of any part or all of the unit into or from the anus.

Patented Nov. 3, H70

INVENTOR. MELVIN G. GORDON INSERTER AND RETAINER FOR SUPPOSITORIES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates in general to a suppository holder and more particularity to a device to which a suppository is attached and which is used to insert the suppository into and retain it in a predetermined position within the anal canal and rectal ampulla during the application of the medication contained in the suppository.

The most common method in use today in treating hemorrhoids and other diseases of the rectum, anal canal, rectal ampulla, and anus, is to insert a molded suppository made of a dissolvable composition, such as cocoa butter, polyethylene glycol, or any other suitable vehicle, with a medicament evenly distributed the'rethrough. When fully dissolved, there is no insoluble residue left in the anal canal.

When such a device is inserted through the anus into the anal canal, usually by gripping it between two fingers and gently shoving it in, the sphincter muscle at the anus will grip the suppository and propel it upwardly into the rectum, defined as that portion of the large intestine which opens above and into the sigmoid colon and below narrowing to join the anal canal, away from the anus, the site of the pain and disease, thereby rendering the medicament useless. To quote from Proctology by Bacon et a1. (1956), page 191: Suppositories are of little or no value except for their psychological effect since they slip into the rectum immediately, thus removing themselves from the anus, the site of the pain. To properly medicate the area near the anal opening, the suppository should be held in a relatively stationary position until the suppository has melted or dissolved.

2. Description of the Prior Art In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,126,887, entitled SUPPOSITO- RY, I disclosed a suppository of unique design which is shaped to hold the suppository in a position with the tail of the suppository outside'the body. As the tail is of greater cross-sectional area than the body, the sphincter muscle cannot propel it up into the body. In using suppositories such as these the body portion melts, due to the body temperature of the wearer, and the tail portion melts to treat the prolapsed internal hemorrhoids. This melting takes place due to the body heat generated by the buttocks, which are in apposition, preventing propulsion and expulsion as well.

There have also been several suppository holders proposed in which a relatively solid member is adapted to hold a medicament on the inside thereof and which disperses the medicine to the disturbed areas by means of openings therein. Examples of this type of device are shown in the following patents: Freedman 1,762,858; Ackerman 2,017,334; and Coumbis et al. 2,974,666.

There have also been suppositories proposed in which the holder is an integral part of the suppository and is removed from the body once the portion containing the medicine has dissolved. Two examples of these are: Miller et a]. 604,063; and Gearon 1,537,992.

My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,725 discloses a holder into which an ordinary suppository purchased in the marketplace can be inserted and which holds the suppository while it is inserted into the rectum and also holds it in position in the anal canal until it dissolves and treats the hemorrhoidal area. The

holder disclosed in the Gordon U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,725 relies on a friction fit of the suppository within the holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of this invention to provide an inserter and retainer for suppositories in which the inserter provides a positive mechanical means for holding the two members, the holder and the suppository, together during the use thereof.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device to which any rectal suppository of any manufacture can be attached for use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device to which a rectal suppository may be attached and which may be used to insert the suppository without having to touch the medicated material with the hands and without having the hands touch the anus itself.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a holder for a suppository in which the base member which remains outside the body is shaped to conform to the configuration of the body.

Another object of my invention is to provide a holder for a suppository which is sturdy in construction, relatively small in size, light in weight, economical in price, and relatively simple to manufacture.

Further features, objects, and advantages will either be specifically pointed out or become apparent when, for a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following written description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view through the body of a user of an inserter and retainer according to my invention;

FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, l2, l4 and 16 are plan views of several embodiments of my invention of the type in which the suppository is inserted into the holder;

FIGS. 3, 5, 7, 9, ll, l3, l5 and 17 are cross-sectional views of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, l2, l4 and 16, respectively;

FIGS. l8, 19, 20 and 21 are sections of elevational views of several embodiments of my invention to which the suppository is attached without inserting it into the holder.

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the inserter illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a body 30 having an anal canal 31 located between the buttocks. Anal canal 31 terminates in an anus 32 and has the usual Crypts of Morgagni residing in the rectal ampulla. A sphincter muscle, although not delineated here, surrounds the anus 32.

Suppository 33 is shown as being held in position within the body by means of holder 34 which is comprised of a base member 35 and an upstanding member 36. As can be seen in FIG. 1, base member 35 is in the form of an arcuate strip shaped to generally conform to the shape of the body. Since it is in the form of an elongated strip, it will fit snugly between the buttocks and be held by the overlapping engagement of the flesh of the buttocks. It will be appreciated by those familiar with the art that the base member does not necessarily have to be in the shape of an arcuate strip but may be of any design whatsoever as long as it conforms generally to the shape of the buttocks. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, holder 36 has a plurality of vertical'ribs 37 placed around the inside perimeter thereof. The suppository is made of a relatively soft waxlike substance; therefore when it is pushed downwardly into holder 36, ribs 37 will form their own grooves on the outside of the suppository and will firmly hold the suppository by providing more surface contact area.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a base member 38 is provided with a holder 39 having a plurality of horizontal ribs 40 spaced vertically from each other.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an embodiment in which a base member 41 is provided with a plurality of springlike fingers 42 extending upwardly to receive a suppository. As the fingers are bent slightly inward, they provide a secure grip for the suppository.

Base member 43 of FIGS. 8 and 9 is provided with a holder 44 into which a suppository is to be inserted. The bottom of holder 44 is provided with a plurality of upstanding wirelike fingers 45 which go up into the bottom surface of the suppository.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate an embodiment with a base 46, a holder 47 and a plurality of inwardly extending wirelike members 48 on the inner wall of holder 47.

Base member 49 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. I2 and I3 is provided with a spiral member SI extending upwardly within holder 50. It would be obvious to a routineer in the art that in using an inserter and retainer according to this embodiment, the suppository would be screwed onto the spiral 51 to hold the suppository within holder 50.

In FIGS. 14 and 15 base member 52 is provided with the usual holder 53. Within the holder 53 and extending upwardly from base member 52 is a conical-shaped member 54 which inserts itself into the bottom of the suppository when it is pushed downwardly thereon.

Instead of a single conical member such as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 provides a plurality of conical members 57 mounted on base 55 within the holder 56.

In the modifications illustrated in FIGS. 18 through 21 the holder has been eliminated and an upstanding means is provided on the base member in each instance for holding the suppository.

In FIG. 18 base member 58 is provided with a plurality of wirelike prongs 59 extending upwardly therefrom upon which the suppository is held.

FIG. 19 shows an embodiment in which base 60 has a spiral member 61, similar to spiral member 51 of FIGS. 12 and 13, onto which the suppository is screwed.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 20 has a conical member 63 extending upwardly from base 62 while the embodiment shown in FIG. 21 has a plurality of conical members 65 extending upwardly from base 64.

It will be apparent that there has been provided a new and novel means for employing a suppository with respect to the human body and the anal canal and a means for facilitating the entry of the suppository to a full engagement with the anal canal.

When the suppository has fully device is removed and may be used retainer.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only some preferred embodiments of my invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of this disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for inserting a meltable object into a body opening and for holding the object therein comprising:

a. a base member to overlie the outside of the body opening;

dissolved or melted, the again as an injector and a b. an upstanding portion for insertion into the body opening;

and

0. means on said upstanding portion for attachment thereto of a meltable object and said means for attachment presenting a terminal surface of predetermined pattern and configuration on the device to confront the meltable object and to penetrate the surface of the object to grip and to hold the same in a fixed orientation with respect to the intersection of the centerline of the portion and base member and extending in coaxial relation with respect to the upstanding portion and in a common direction generally, said means for attachment comprising an object-retaining means.

2. A device according to claim 1 with said object-retaining means comprising a plurality of vertical ribs spaced from each other and extending vertically on the inside of said upstanding portion.

3. A device according to claim I with said object-retaining.

means comprising a plurality of horizontal ribs spaced from each other and extending for at least a portion of the inside circumference of said upstanding portion.

4. A device according to claim 1 with said object-retaining means comprising a plurality of inwardly tapering fingers formed from the wall of said upstanding portion.

5v A device according to claim I with said object-retaining means comprising a plurality of vertically extending pinlike members located on said base member.

6. A device according to claim l-with said object-retaining means comprising a plurality of horizontally extending pinlike members located on the inside of the wall of said upstanding portion.

7. A device according to claim 1 with said object-retaining means comprising a spiralshaped member located on said base member.

8. A device according to claim I with said object-retaining means comprising a conical member located on said base member.

9. A device according to claim I with said object-retaining means comprising a plurality of conical members located on said base member.

10. A device according to claim 1 with said upstanding portion comprising a plurality of vertically extending pinlike members.

11. A device according to claim I with said upstanding portion comprising a spiral-shaped member.

12. A device according to claim 1 with said upstanding portion comprising a plurality of conical members. 

